Malibu High School Arts

Instrumental Music

Band

Jazz, pop, classical, rock and roll  the student musicians of Malibu High School’s Band program play them all. From sixth grade to twelfth, from beginners to experienced players, there’s an instrumental music class for every student at MHS who wants to take his or her musical talents to the next level. By the time they’re upperclassmen, many MHS musicians have been playing together in school ensembles for years, leading not only to fast friendships, but also to exceptional performances.

Malibu High’s ensembles routinely earn “superior” and “excellent” ratings at the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) Festival. The High School Jazz Band has twice placed first at the Fullerton Jazz Festival, and has also taken first place at the Valencia Super Jazz Festival. Other performance opportunities for MHS musicians include the annual Winter and Spring concerts, a Masterworks concert in collaboration with the MHS orchestra and choir. Some students even play the score for the High School Theater Department’s musical.

Orchestra

The three orchestras at Malibu High School provide students of all ability levels the perfect place to develop their musical skills and develop life-long friendships with their fellow musicians. Orchestras are arranged by grade level, but unusually advanced musicians are encouraged to move up to a higher grade level by audition.

The highlight of both middle school orchestras is an overnight trip to Disneyland, where students play in a competition (which they usually win!) and get to spend an entire day riding roller coasters before attending a gigantic awards ceremony.

The high school orchestra is so advanced that they have performed in collaboration with the Pepperdine University Orchestra, and they even performed at Carnegie Hall on June 17, 2016!

All ensembles participate in competitions and orchestra festivals across Southern California, earning the highest possible ratings. All of the MHS Orchestras perform multiple concerts in Malibu each year. Visit our Performance Calendar for more information.

The orchestral ensembles at Malibu High School include:

Intro to Strings (6th Grade)

This orchestra teaches the basics of string and orchestral technique in a fun setting and a small class with lots of individual attention. Beginners and students interested in learning a new string instrument are welcome to join! The highlight of the year is usually the annual overnight trip to Disneyland for an orchestra competition!

String Orchestra (7th/8th Grade)

This orchestra is a large string ensemble that plays at a very high level. All students participate in Stairway of the Stars in Santa Monica. The highlight of the year is usually the annual overnight trip to Disneyland for an orchestra competition. This ensemble has not only always won 1st place in their category at the competition, but they frequently win "Best Overall Middle School Orchestra," beating elite auditioned orchestras from much bigger schools!

Symphony Orchestra (High School)

The Symphony Orchestra is Malibu High School's most advanced ensemble. This ensemble regularly performs and competes at festivals and competitions around Southern California. The biggest highlights of the last few years include a collaborative performance with the Pepperdine University Orchestra, and a stand-alone performance on the Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall! The Symphony Orchestra also combines with the most advanced students from the Wind Ensemble class to perform full orchestra music, as well as the MHS Choirs for their Masterworks concert.